This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from my application PAPER CASSETTE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 30, 2000 and there duly assigned Serial No. 87353/2000.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a paper cassette for an image forming device, such as a copying machine or printer, which is a computer peripheral device. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved paper cassette enabling easy reception of paper in the paper cassette.
2. Related Art
Printers are widely used in offices and homes as computer peripheral devices. A printer prints documents or image data developed by an application program of the computer. Copying machines are also widely used in offices to copy documents. An image forming device, such as a printer or copying machine, includes at least one paper cassette. Accordingly, the image forming device is constructed to receive and store a print medium, such as paper, in the paper cassette.
Furthermore, various types of paper are used in the image forming device according to the needs of users. Each type of paper is received in a paper cassette which is designed to receive that type of paper.
A conventional paper cassette has at least one guide lever for properly arranging the paper according to its size. The paper received in the paper cassette is arranged and stacked by a front wall and a guide lever of the paper cassette. When the paper cassette is installed in the printer, a sheet of paper on top of the paper stack is contacted by a feeding device, such as a roller. Accordingly, in a print process, the sheets of paper are drawn into the image forming device, one by one, as the feeding device rotates.
When the paper runs out during the print process, paper should be additionally supplied. In the conventional paper cassette, the paper cassette is taken out of the image forming device, and paper of a certain size is supplied to a receiving section of the print cassette. Then, the print cassette is reinstalled in the image forming device.
When the paper is received in the paper cassette, the size of the paper does not match a space between the front wall and the guide lever of the paper cassette. Accordingly, before storing the paper in the receiving section, a user has to move the guide lever backward in order to provide space for the paper, store the paper, and then arrange the paper by advancing the guide lever. This results in a complicated paper loading and reception process.
The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above-mentioned problem. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved paper cassette for an image forming device enabling easier receiving and arranging of paper in a cassette body.
To accomplish the above object, the paper cassette of the image forming device comprises a cassette body having a receiving section in which paper is received, and a guide lever disposed on a bottom of the cassette body for orienting a side of the received paper in a sloped manner by hinging in a certain direction.
The guide lever comprises a guiding portion moving between an arrange position for contacting and supporting a side of the paper received in the receiving section, and a release position separate from the arrange position. The guiding portion elastically returns from the release position to the arrange position. A base member is slidably disposed on the bottom of the receiving section for hingedly supporting the guiding portion, and a hinge shaft hingedly connects the guiding portion to the base member.
It is preferable that the base member have a stopping portion for restricting a hinging movement of the guiding portion.
It is also preferable that the guiding portion have a slope for slant orientation of the paper in a direction in which the paper is to be ejected.
Preferably, the guide lever further comprises an elastic member disposed between the base member and the guiding portion for elastically urging the guiding portion into the arrange position.
It is preferable that the elastic member be disposed around the hinge shaft.
It is also preferable that the elastic member be connected to the guiding portion, and to a wall extending from a base of the base member and at a right angle with respect to the bottom of the receiving section.
It is preferable that the receiving section have an inclined plane, and that the guide lever have a slope corresponding to that of the inclined plane for connecting and slant arranging the received paper in a direction in which the paper is to be ejected.